Richard finds himself overwhelmed trying to keep the festival running smoothly in the wake of Oliver's death. Kate ditches rehearsals to audition for a commercial and runs into Hollywood action star Jack Crew, who has been hired to play Hamlet. Ellen begins a relationship with Sloan, a young deliveryman. Geoffrey questions his sanity when Oliver begins to speak to him from "the other side". Despite his delivery of a scathing speech at Oliver's funeral, the board of directors offers the job of Artistic Director to Geoffrey, on a temporary basis. Anna asks Geoffrey to help carry out Oliver's final request.

In jail after his escapade at Ellen's party, Geoffrey is visited by the ghost of Oliver, who counsels him on the danger of trying to ignore his past feelings for Ellen. Holly and Richard work on their merchandising scheme‒a Shakespeare-themed village of retail stores. Geoffrey is forced to fire Darren as director, to the relief of the cast.